


Late Night Babysitting

by saranmaglyn



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Older lesbians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:49:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27368341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saranmaglyn/pseuds/saranmaglyn
Summary: Fun fact: I actually wanted to give you my silly little drawings today but it didn't work. So until I figure that out, I have this for you. I also have a couple more things drafted because as it turns out, writing has become a way of procrastinating for me and I have been doing that a lot recently.Anyway, enjoy.
Relationships: Jocelyn Knight/Maggie Radcliffe
Comments: 14
Kudos: 32





	Late Night Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: I actually wanted to give you my silly little drawings today but it didn't work. So until I figure that out, I have this for you. I also have a couple more things drafted because as it turns out, writing has become a way of procrastinating for me and I have been doing that a lot recently.   
> Anyway, enjoy.

“Thank you so much for jumping in last minute. I'm really sorry about the inconvenience.” Ellie says on her way out of the house sitting enthroned on Briar Cliff, “I just really didn't know who else to ask.”

“Ellie, it's fine. No bother at all. We're happy to help, aren't we?” Maggie throws a look at Jocelyn standing next to her in the frame of their front door and receives an affirmative nod of the head.

“You guys are the best. Thanks so much again. I better run now.” 

Ellie waves as she turns on her heel and strides through the pouring rain over to her car, her bright orange rain coat making her glow in the dark. Maggie puts her arm around Jocelyn as they watch her drive off into the night, the rear lights blurring in the rain. Clouds crash in the sky and cause a loud rumble and lightning strikes only seconds after Maggie closed the door between them and the outside world. A little hand tucks at Jocelyn's sweater before she can turn back around. Fred Miller looks back and forth between the women with big eyes and an angsty expression. Maggie squats down to be on eye level with him.

“Sweetheart, are you scared? Of the storm?” She gives him a warm smile as he nods with upturned eyebrows, “You don't have to be. It's only rain and clouds bumping into each other. You see, they are quite heavy and so it's very loud when they run into one another. And sometimes, when that happens, a lightning falls out of their bag and down to earth for us to see. But it's nothing to be scared of.”

Fred nods hesitatingly at her, trying to decide whether to let this explanation soothe him. As he does so, Maggie spreads her arms for him. He gets close to her, convinced by her words (for now) and she hugs him before picking him up under a slight grunt.

“Careful, love. He's not that small anymore.” Jocelyn reaches out to her and places her hand on Maggie's upper arm.

“I'm fine, petal.” Maggie reassures her and then looks at Fred who is busy inspecting her facial features, “Find anything interesting?” 

She raises her eyebrows and Fred clamps her nose between his tiny fingers, then removes them sticking his thumb between index and middle finger.

“I got your nose!” He calls with a grin and stretches his arm up into the air.

Maggie looks at him in shock and turns to Jocelyn who looks back just as open-mouthed.

“I better hide, I still need mine.” The barrister says as she eyes Fred's fist and then hurries away into the living room.

Fred laughs in his adorable child and truthful way when Maggie follows her girlfriend with him on her arm. Entering the living room, there is actually no sign of her. She squats down again to sit down Fred, then takes him by the shoulders and looks deep into his blue eyes.

“Can I have my nose back? Please?”

“No!” Triumphantly he shakes his head, the curls bouncing, and hides his hand behind his back.

Maggie lets out a sigh and directs her eyes to the floor. When she looks back up, there's a determined expression drawn on her face.

“Okay. If you can get Jocelyn's, then can I have mine back? I will help you find her. Hers is better than mine, anyway.”

Fred considers the idea she proposed and agrees.

“Okay, then let's go find her.”, She gets back to her feet and looks around the room, “Jocelyn, darling, where are you?”

No answer. The game is on. She gestures Fred to start looking and slowly walks around, too. They search the entire living room, behind plants and curtains, the boy even crawls underneath their sofa and armchairs, but doesn't find anything except for some dust. Next up is the dining room with its clattered table and desk but there's also no sign of the barrister. Following Fred into the kitchen, Maggie watches him open all the bottom cabinets and giggles at the thought of Jocelyn squeezing into any of them. Fred lets his eyes wander around the room, eager to find the other woman and get hold of her nose.

“The winter garden...” Maggie whispers to him and nods her head into the direction of the doorway. 

He runs past her and she hears chairs scratching across the floor as she walks closer. Fred is at the other end of the room, looking into every corner no matter how ridiculous it would be to find Jocelyn there, when Maggie feels a swift movement behind her. She turns and sees her girlfriend striding away from behind the always open door.

“Fred, she's escaping, come on!”

She makes her way back into the living room, Fred following her closely. They catch a head ducking behind the sofa and Maggie starts tiptoeing in a very theatrical way, raising her finger to her mouth to sign Fred to be quiet as he walks around the other side to the sofa.

“Got you!” Maggie exclaims, falls to her knees and wraps her arms around Jocelyn's upper body, pressing her against herself. They're both facing Fred as he turns around the corner with a satisfied look on his face.

“No, please! Let me go, I am begging you. Please let me keep my nose.” Jocelyn cries playfully, wiggling in Maggie's arms.

“Hold still!” Fred demands and Jocelyn obeys, looking at him with fear in her eyes.

The boy nears her until he stands next to her legs, looking straight into her eyes. He reaches out his hand to place his fingers left and right of her nose.

“A nose for a nose...” Maggie mutters and Jocelyn has to suppress a chuckle, trying to stay serious.

Then Fred tears his hand away, the thumb showing between the fingers and Jocelyn gasps audibly with her face screwed up. In a jubilant way and with glistening eyes he looks at Maggie who nods approvingly, still holding Jocelyn tight.

“Now, hand over mine. That was the deal, remember?”

Jocelyn scoffs. Fred closes the space between him and Maggie and pretends to put her nose back onto her face before shoving his other fist into his pocket, as if to stow the barrister's nose away. Then he runs around the sofa again and throws himself onto it, staring at the ceiling, his arm dangling off the side.  
Maggie loosens her grasp and lets Jocelyn turn around to her.

“I had to sacrifice my beautiful nose so you could have your conk back? I see how it is. It's quite-”

But Maggie cuts her off by pressing her lips on hers.

“Can this allay you?” She asks softly afterwards.

Jocelyn raises one eyebrow and examines Maggie. The editor squints her eyes and a smug grin forms on her lips. She cups the face in front of her and kisses it passionately.

“Now, this might just be enough.” Jocelyn smirks and raises to her feet, supporting herself on the back of the sofa. She holds her hand out to Maggie and pulls her up. Then she turns her attention towards the boy lying on his back.

“And what do we do now?”

As she speaks, thunder is rolling outside again and lightning illuminates the room for a split second only moments after. Fred's eyes get big and the scared face returns. She joins him on the sofa and he immediately searches for her embrace, crawling onto her lap. His arms are hidden between their chests and he puts his head on her shoulder, looking outside to the rain splashing against the windows. Jocelyn wraps her arms around his back and tenderly kisses his curly, blonde hair.

“It's okay, you're safe in here.” She runs her fingers through the little boy's hair.

“Didn't Ellie leave us a book for him?” Maggie asks on her way over to close the curtains. She looks out onto the stormy sea and the waves crashing on the beach. She enjoys a good thunder storm. Perfect to cosy up inside with some hot chocolate and good book or movie. Or to take care of a small, afraid child.

“Yeah, you're right. It must still be in the hall.”

Maggie leaves the room and returns only seconds later with a children's book in her hands. 

“The Gruffalo...” She reads on the cover as she sits down in an armchair to the side of the sofa.

Fred turns his head in excitement.

“Can you read it?” He asks Maggie in a cheery tone again.

“Of course.”, She smiles, “Are there many pictures- Oh, yes, there are many pictures. I'll join you over there.” She switches her seat.

Fred slides down from Jocelyn's lap and finds a new position in between the two older women, his eyes fixed on the book in Maggie's hand. The barrister crosses her legs and rests her hand on the boy's shoulder while Maggie flips the book open to the first page. As she reads, Jocelyn notices herself zoning out to the sound of her pleasant voice, not paying much attention to the meaning of the words anymore. She looks at the moving lips and admires the way they read this story so vividly, completely capturing the boy. And the longer the story goes on, the more she feels herself getting tired, being lulled by her girlfriend's reading. Her eyes fall shut and as much as she tries to fight against the fatigue, eventually she gives in to it. But Jocelyn isn't the only one falling asleep. Fred leans against her and is slowly drifting off, too. Maggie only notices when his comments become fewer and then stay out entirely. She checks on him to see him slumbering in Jocelyn's arm, slightly drooling on his shirt. With her mouth already open to whisper something to her girlfriend, she has to realise that that one is also slowly tilting to one side with her eyes closed. She chuckles contently at the sight of the two of them and leans forward to put the book on the table. Then she raises to her feet and speeds up Jocelyn's falling-to-one-side process by carefully pushing her down onto the pillow propped up in the corner of the sofa. Before lifting her legs, she gently picks up Fred and lies him down in front of Jocelyn. She lifts Jocelyn's legs and cautiously puts them on the sofa, being freed of some of the work by Jocelyn's own movements as she woke up from her touch. She blinks sleepily at her, then Fred next to her and protectively puts her arm around him. Maggie walks up to her and lovingly kisses her forehead before she falls asleep again. The editor picks up a blanket that's folded over the back of an armchair and opens it to cover the two sleepyheads. Her heart warms as her eyes linger on them being cuddled up on their sofa. Who would've thought she could love Jocelyn even more than before? And who could've thought she'd turn this soft in her old days? With someone who isn't Maggie, nevertheless.  
A loud rumble makes her flinch and she squints through the gap in the curtains into the darkness. It's like a reflex. When she turns back her eyes fall onto the small clock sitting in one of the dozens of bookshelves. 11:24 in the evening. With the time back on her mind, she yawns but shakes it off. They can't all sleep, Ellie might come back soon. And so Maggie decides to get some tea, finding a half-full pot sitting on the kitchen counter. Reheated tea it is, then, she thinks and opens the microwave, already slightly disgusted at herself. But it's too much left to just toss it away and make new one. With a warm mug she sits back down in the armchair in the living room and grabs her own book lying around on the coffee table, placing her mug on it instead after taking a sip. She casts a look over to the two sleeping humans and chuckles hearing Jocelyn's quiet snoring that she always denies when Maggie mentions it.

At around half past midnight Maggie's phone display lights up, announcing a new text message. She puts down her book and opens it to read Ellie being on her way to pick Fred up again, arriving in approximately five minutes.   
Meanwhile, the thunder storm has moved on to water some more of England. Maggie puts the book back on the table and gets up to already carry Fred's book into the hall so Ellie won't forget it. She stares at the cover on her way, the little light brown mouse and the big brown, nice monster. It was a sweet story that she quite enjoyed reading. And then there's already a soft knock on the door. 

“Hi, come in.” Maggie invites Ellie in a quiet voice.

“Thanks. I'm gonna be quick, don't wanna keep you from going to bed. Was everything alright?” Ellie asks on her way into the house.

“Yes, perfectly alright. But see for yourself...”

Maggie points to the sofa with a content smile on her face. Ellie follows her and lays eyes on her son peacefully sleeping in Jocelyn's embrace. 

“Aww, how sweet they look. Jocelyn's been very tired, too, eh?” She laughs.

“Or my reading aloud is very tiring. They've been slumbering for a good one and a half hours like this. But I'll wake Joce, then.” 

Maggie makes sure not to be too loud on her way over and squats down at the end their heads are located. She lets her hand rest on her girlfriend's shoulder and whispers her name in order to wake only her. When she doesn't react, she gently shakes her until the heavy lids slowly open and weary eyes look confused at her.

“Hey, you. Ellie is here to pick up the boy.”

Jocelyn looks around Maggie to see Ellie waving at her with a grin on her face. She smiles back and mouths a hello, then looks down at the boy she still has wrapped in her arm. His body is warming hers and she hates to leave this warmth. But then she gives in and removes the blanket from herself and Fred, shuddering a little at the exposure to the coldness. It's not cold in the room but the blanket did make a difference. Ellie comes closer and carefully picks up Fred into her arms. He continues to sleep with his head on her shoulder as she returns to the hall. Maggie helps Jocelyn up, who lets out a yawn, and gives her a brief kiss on the cheek before joining Ellie.

“Thank you again for taking care of him.”

“Any time. Everything good at work?” Maggie wants to know before they part.

“Yeah, just an escalated bar fight that took a while to clear up due to on-going arguments. Nothing _too_ serious. Anyway, I should get this one to bed.”

“And I this one.”

“Hey.” Jocelyn looks at her with furrowed eyebrows as she smiles smugly.

Ellie laughs mutely and waves a short good bye with one hand, then carries Fred away and leaves again.  
Maggie closes the door and turns to the barrister, the bags under her eyes more enhanced than normally and the hair frizzy and flat in the back. It's kind of adorable.

“You snored, by the way.”

“I did not.”

“Mh, yes, I'm quite certain you did.”

“Ts. _By the way_ , I can get myself to bed. Thank you very much.”

“Can you?”

Jocelyn gently smacks Maggie's arm as the editor chuckles.

“Unbelievable.”


End file.
